Flour sifter



H. V. WHEELER FLOUR SIFTER Filed oct. 5, 1921" 2 sheets-sheet 1 PatentedJuly T0, T923.-

UNTT STATES `HARRIELT V. WHEELER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLOUR SIFTER.

` pplication filed October 5, 1921. Serial No. 505,486.

T o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that llammc'r'r V. `\\'m-:|-:mm, a citizen of the lnitedStates. and a resident of Chicago` in the county ot' Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FlourSitters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full. clear.and exa-ct description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings. and to thecharacters of refe-rence marked thereon` which forma. part ot this specification.

This invent-ion relates to a novel kitchen utensil in the nat-ure ot' aflour sitter` and refers more specifically` to a utensil of' thisgeneral character which is designed not only for sifting Hour and likematerials but also for mixingwith Hour other pulverulent materials. suchas soda` baking powder. salt, and the like in prepa-ring the flour forspecial baking uses.

n object ot the invention is to produce in a utensil ot this character areversible sieve having novel means to support the sieve to enable it tobe turned or reversed in the ontainer relatively to the agitating deviceby which the material is forced through the sieve` and to novel meansot' supporting the agitating devife, the sieve being adapted tocoopera-te with the agita-tor device. in both positions oi adjustment ofthe sieve. so that by reversing the position of the container thematerial may4 be alternately sifted through the sieve in oppositedirections and to fall therefrom alternately into the'opposite ends ofthe container, and the whole being arranged to be compact and rugged andconstructed to maintain the bearings tor the sieve and agitator properlyaligned.

Another object ot the invention is to produce arnovel means ot mountingthe sieve in the container, construz-ted to permit rcversa-1 1 aof thesieve by a suitable exteriorly exposedactuating device, and tor lockingthe siev-e in its different positions ot adjustment.

A further obje.l t of the invention is to produce a` novel utensil otthis character havingr one or more removable measuring cups whichconstitute the end or ends of the container and so located that thematerial drops thereinto from the sieve, said cup or cups constitutingmeans for receiving the sitted materia-l and when detached, means forcarrying the material from the utensil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means ofconstructing and assembling the sii'ter elements` including a sieve anda rotative agitator device, arranged to permit ready assembling ot' theelements and to permit the screen member to be reversed relatively tothc agitator device.

Uther objects of the invention are to improve and simplify utensils ot'this character, and the invention consists in the combination andarrangement ot' the parts shown in the drawings and described in thespecification, and is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

llgure 1 1s an axial section of a utensil embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section on. the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail, illustrating the manner of removablyfixing the cup or cups to the body ot' the container which contains thesifting and mixing elements.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the sifting and mixing elements, removed fromthe containrr.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the sieve.

Figure 6 is a perspective view ol the agitatol'device which cooperateswith the sieve.

As shown in the drawings, 10 designates the intermediate main body ofthe container. lt may be made of sheet metal and of any desired crosssection, being cylindric, as herein shown. Tt is Open at both its ends.11, l1 designate removable end measuring and closure cups to tit overand close the Open ends of the container. Said cups 11 are open at theirinner ends and are adapted to be detachably fixed to the ends ot thecontainer in a manner presently to be described. Said cups are otherwiseclosed and constitute receptacles to receive the material which ispassed through the sieve and also constitute. when detached from thecontainer 10,

neans to remove the material from the utensil. s shown. both ends ot'the container are removable to constitute the cups 11, so that thesitted or mixed material may be removed trom the utensil by detachingeither ot the cups in Which the material is then contained. lit ispraftical. however. though not so convenient, to construct and use theutensil with but a singlev detachable end iece or measuring cup.

`Within the intermediate body 10 of the container is supported a sieve12. Tn the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

said sieve is semi-spherical, it being a basket-like structure which is'fully o'lpen throughout its diameter at one side. he sieve is made ofWire netting of the desired mesh and is reinforced at its edges aroundits opening 14 by a'binding wire or band 15, the latter defining theopening 14 to receive the agitator device, hereinafter described.

16 designates as a whole the agitator device. It comprises a pluralityof curved arms 17 angularly spaced about the axis of a supporting andoperating shaft 18. l For the purpose of the present embodiment of theinvention, said' Shaft is tubular. As shown, three of such agitator armsor members are used, but a greater or less number can be employed. Theyare preferably made of sheet metal, and the longitudinal curvature ofsaid members is such as to cause them to conform closely to the contourof the innerl erably the said agitator arms are trans verse y rounded ontheir outer sides to move smoothly across the sieve.

The agitator arm assembly may be made of any suitable construction. Asherein shown the tubular shaft 18 is provided with hubs or discs 19 thatare radially notched to receive the ends of the agitator arms. Said armsare made of a resilient material, Whereby the interlocking connectionsof their ends with the notched discs 19 aid to retain the arms properlyin place and properly curved. If desired, drops of solder may be appliedto said arms and th`e notched portions of the discs to further aid inholding the assembly together. One end of the shaft is extended beyondthe adjacent disc 19 and is formed to provide a hand crank 20 by whichthe agitator is rotated. That portion of the said shaft 18 adjacent tothe crank constitutes a bearing member 21 which is rotatively mounted ina suitable bearing in the wall of the container 10. The container 10 isShown as surrounded by a hoop 22 to reinforce the central portionthereof, and to also give added bearing surface in the container wallfor the shaft 18.

The sieve 12 is supported at one side on the tubular shaft 18 and at itsother side on a rocking rod or shaft 25 which lies principally withinand is supported by the tubular shaft 18 and constitutes means to turnor reverse the sieve. as will hereinafter more fully appear. Thespecific means for so supporting the sieve in the illustrated embodimentof the invention is made as vfo1 lows:

The bindingI ring 15 of the basket-like sieve is provided at diametricpoints with upstanding loops 23, 24. The supporting and operating shaft18 for the agitator device extends loosely through the loo 24. said loopbeing between the agitator device and the adjacent wall of thecontainer. Y The solid shaft or rod 25 embraces a straight portion whichlies axially in the tubular shaft 18 and may extend into the bearingportion 21 of said latter shaft. Said sieve turning or reversing shaft25 is of a diameter to fit with a somewhat loose bearing in the tubularshaft 18.

The end of the sieve reversing shaft 25 remote from the crank 2() of theagitator shaft 18 is provided with an axial extension 27 which projectsthrough an opening in the wall ofthe container and the reinforcing hoop22 and has rocking bearing therein. Said shaft 25 also extends throughthe sieve binding Wire loop 23 and is fixed in any suitable manner tosaid loop 23, as by being soldered thereto, so that turning movement ofsaid shaft imparts a rocking or reversing movement to the sieve. lt willthus be observed that the basket-like sieve is suspended partly on thetubu'lar shaft 18 and partly on the solid shaft 25 through the medium ofthe loops 24, 23, respectively, and through said shafts is suspended onthe container Wall. This construction permits ready assembly of theparts and permits the sieve to be readily reversed relatively to andaround the axes of said shafts.

The extension 27 'of the sieve reversing shaft 25 is turned radial tothe shaft 25 to produce a handle and latch 28, and said latch isformed'with a short. curve 29 to provide a locking projection adapted toseverally engage with exterior locking recesses 30. 80 on the adjacentwall of the container; said recesses being located at equal distancesfrom the axis of said sieve turning or re versing shaft 25. Beyond thelocking projectiou 29 the latch turns outwardly at 3.1 to enable thelatch to be pulled outwardly away from the locking recesses 80 intowhich the locking projection 29 of the latch 28 is normally engaged bythe resiliency of the latch.

The construction described provides diamctrically opposed bearings forthe tubular shaft 18 of the agitator. one of said bearings being formedin the band reinforced part ofthe container wall and the other beingformed on the sieve turning shaft adjacent to the latch 28. Thereby theagitator arms may be rotated relatively to the normally fixed sieve.held in place b v the latch device described. Thus the agitator arms arefree to rotate while the sieve. suspended from the shafts 18 and 25` isheld fixed relatively to the container. lVhen it is desired to turn thecontainer from the position shown in Figure 1, the latch 28 is releasedfrom the locking recess 30. whereupon, b v turning the shaft 25 ythroughthe agency of Said latch. said sieve is rotated in a half circle tobring it to the opposite side of the shaft. The container will now ,bebodily meneer endwise reversed, so as to bring the sieve again below itsreversing shaft.

The cups l1 may be of any suitable form and dimensions to provide thenecessary capacity' for the sifter and mixing utensil. As herein shown,each cup comprises an inner cylindric portion 32, an outer, largercylindrirl portion 33, and an intermediate, tapered or conical portion34.y The inner cylindric portion 32 of each, cup telescopically fitsinside the cylindric end of container l0, as best shown in Figure 3, andthe parts may be connected together by two or more spring latches 35whichmay be soldered or otherwise attached to jche cups beyond the endsof the container. Said latches are provided at their inner ends withcurved locking portions 36, each adapted to engage with a locking grooveor recess 37 formed on the outerV side of the adjacent container end.When the cup locking devices herein shown are employed it is anadvantage to make the matching parts of the cups and the container bodycylindrical, inasmuch as the locking latches may bc made to engage witha continuous groove forme-d by beading the container, notwithstandingthe angular relation of the latches to the axis of the container 10 whenthe cups are presented thereto. lf the said container and matchingportions of the cups be of other cross section, other forms of lockingdevices may be employed; or, in either event, a tapered matching fit mayfulfil the requirements.

in the operation of the device, one of the cups 11 is removed and thematerial to be sifted or sifted and mixed is poured into the basket-likesieve. In the position shown in Figure 1, where the basket-like screenis below the shafts 25 and 18, the upper cup will be removed for thispurpose. rlihereafter said cup is fittted and locked inplace on theupper end of the container and the agitator device is rotated throughthe medi-v um of the crank 20 until all of the material hasbeen forcedthrough the sieve into the lower cup 1l. Thereafter the basket-likesieve is reversed, first, by releasing the projection of the latch 28from the locking recess 30 and then turning or rocking the shaft 25 toreverse-the Sieve to a position above the shafts 25 and 28 andthereafter locking the latch to the upper recess or notch 30. Thereuponthe entire container is endwise reversed and, through the action of therotating agitator, the material is again forced through the sieve intothe lower cup. These operations will be repeated until the material hasbeen sufficiently sifted or mixed. After the last operation, thematerial is in the lowermost cup and can be removed from the utensil bydetaching the cup from the container; the cup serving as a receptacle tocarry the material to a desired placevfor use. lf but one of the cups isthus made detachable it is only necessary to reverse the utensil andsieve so that the last sifting will fall into the detachable lower cup.

From what has been said, it will be observed that after the material,whether it be lumpy flour or other material to be reduced to a ivenmesh, or whether it be a mixture o? flour or the like, and othermaterials, such as baking powder, soda, sal and the like, to be mixed,the said materia may be sifted as many times as desired within acompletely closed container by reversing the sifter and the containerbetween sifting operations. Therefore, the sifting operations can becarried on Without loss of the material, such as would occur if thematerial were sifted into an o en receptacle, and thereafter rechargeinto the sifter for resifting. Furthermore, the sifting operation can becarried on in a sanif tary manner inasmuch as no dirt or foreignsubstance can come into contact with the material while being sifted.Moreover, the sifting operation can be carried on in the open air or atany lace where air is moving at a velocity in which it would beotherwise impracticable to sift the material in an open sifter.

The ljoint formed between the cylindric inner ends 32 of the cup and thecylindric ends of the body 10, embracing the fitting of the part 32within the body, is an advantageous one, especially when employed inconnection with the inwardly formed recesses or beads to receive theends of the latches, inasmuch as this construction forms a relativelynon-projecting internal surface at the connection of thel cups to thesifter body or container and also provides a close joint against theleakage of flour between the overlapping parts. The terminals of theparts 32 fit against the convex inner parts of the beads that thusproduce the locking recesses, and further insure a owder proof joint.Moreover, the ends o the latches are located and formed for ready eX-ternal access, so that they can be sprung away from the locking recessesby engagement of the terminals thereof by the thumb or fingers.

lt will be understood that the structural details of the illustratedembodiment of the invention can be varied within the scope of theappended claims, and that the invention is not intended to be limited tosaid details, except as specifically claimed and said measuring cup andclosure embracing a closed end portion of greater diameter than thecontainer and a tapered portion which telescopes in the open endof thecontainer, and a handle for the container postioned Within thecircumferential outline of the larger diameter of the measuring cup. Y,

2. A sifter utensil comprising a closed, endwise reversiblecontainerhaving at one end a removable measuring cupand closure, a basket-likesieve mounted within the container for reversal, and an agitatorrotative within the sieve, embracing a tubular shaft, a screen reversingshaft fixed to the sie-ve and extending into and through the tubularagitator shaft, both said' shafts extending diametrically through thecontainer and mounted in the container Wall and each provided exteriorto said Wall with operat- 1ng means.

3. A sifter utensil comprising a closed, endwise reversible containerhaving at one end a removable closure, a basket-like sieve mountedWithin the container for reversal, and an agitator rotative within thesieve, embracing a tubular shaft, a screen reversing shaft fixed to thesieve and' extending into and through the tubular agitator shaft, saidshafts extending diametrically through the container and mounted in thecontainer wall and rovided exterior to said wall with operating means,and the said sieve being reversible about the axis of the assembled'shafts.

4. A sifter utensil comprising a closed endwise reversible containerhaving at one end a removable closure, an agitator within the containerembracing a tubular shaft which extends at one end through the containerWall and has rotative bearing therein, with means to rotate the shaft,the other end of said shaft terminating closely adjacent, but Short of,the container Wall, a second shaft extending into said tubular shaftandl projecting at one end' through the container Wall and provided withan adjusting arm and a semi-spherical, reversible sieve having means atdiametrically opposite points to mount it on said first and secondshafts and fixed to said second' shaft to constitute said latter shaftas means to reverse said sieve.

5. A' sifter utensil comprising a closed endwise reversible containerhaving at one end a removable closure, an agitator with the containerembracing a tubular shaft which extends at one end through the conmeneertainer wall and has rotative lbearing therein, with means to rotate theshaft, the other jprovided at' diametrically opposite pointe of its openend with loops adapted, one to be suspended from said tubular shaft andthe other to be suspended from the inner shaft and attached to thelatter.

6. A sifter utensil comprising a container open at its end and'adaptedto be endwise reversed, a reversible sifter and a rotary beatertherein, and a measuring cup and closure fitted over the open end ofsaid container, said-measuring cup and closure embracing a closed endportion an operating handle secured to said beater and located withinthe confines of said greater diameter, of greater diameter than thecontainer and a smaller tapered portion, and means to join the taperedportion of the cup to the open container end embracing an annularexternal groove formed in the metal wall of the open end of thecontainer, and a latch fixed to said' cup and 'formed with acomplcmental curved portion to enter said groove.

7. A sifter utensil comprising a container open at its end and adaptedto be endwise reversed, a reversible sifter and a rotary beater therein,and a measuring cup and closure fitted over the open end of saidcontainer, said measuring cup and closure embracing a closed end portionan operating handle secured to said beater and located Within theconfines of said greater diameter, of greater diameter than thecontainer and a smaller tapered portion, and means to join the taperedportion of the cup to the open container end embracing an annularexternal groove formed in the metal wall of the open end of thecontainer, and a latch fixed to said cup and formed with a complementalcurved portion to enter said groove, the inner open end of said cuptelescoping Within said' open end of the container with the innermostedge engaged with the internal bead' formed b v producing the lockinggroove in the container wall.

In witness whereof I claim the foregoing.

as my invention, I hereunto append my signature this 1 day of ctober,1921.

HARRIETT V. WHEELER.l

l lili Certicate of Correct.issn, -l

It is herebycertiiedithat in Letters Patent No. 1,461,567, grfirltedJuly 10, j

upon the application of Harriett. V, Wheeler, of Chicago, Illinois, foran 1mp-roifement in Flour Sifters, an error appears in the printedlspecification requu'ing correction as follows: Page 4F., strike outlines 71 to 110,' comprising present claims 6 and 7, and insert thefollowing as claims 6 and 7:

. 6. A sifter utensil comprising a container open at its end andadaptedto be endwise reversed, a reversible sifter and a rotary beater therein,and a measuring cap and closure yitted over the open end of. said.container, said measuring cap and closure embracing a closed endportion of greater dia/meter than the conf,

tainer and a smaller tapered portion, an operating handle secured tosaid beater and located within the conyines of said greater diameter,and means to join the tapered portion of the cap to the open containerend embracing an annular ea'ternal groove formed in the metal wall ofthe open end of the container, and a latch fixed to said cap and formedwith a complemental carved portion to enter said groove.

7. A sifter utensil comprising a container open at its end and adaptedto be endwise reversed, a reversible sifter and a rotary beater therein,anda measuring cap and closure fitted o/ver the open end of saidcontainer, saidl measitringi capi,

and closure embracing a closed end portion of greater diameter than thecontainer and a smallerl tapered portion, an operating handle secured.to said beater'` and located within the confines of said greaterdia/meter, and means to joinlthje tapered portion 'of the cup to theopen container end embracing an,annular'ea:-A

ternalgroove formed in the metal wall of the openend ofthe container,anda latch fired to. said cap and formed with a complemental. curvedportion to enter` said groove, the -inner open end of said .captelescoping within said `opennend' off the container with the innermostedge engaged with the internal bead formed by producing the lockinggroove in the container wall.;

and that the said Letters'Patent should be read With this correctiontherein that theA same may conform to the record of thecase in thePatentV Office. Signed and sealed'this 16th clay of October, A. D.,1923. w e [SEAL] f WM. A, KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents;

